16 Quick Tips To Help You Sleep Better Tonight

Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Or did your feet hit the floor the second your alarm sounded, raring to go and ready to face the day? I admit I’m not a morning person. I’m a night owl all the way! My family knows this so my husband and kids got me a bathrobe for Christmas one year. The robe had a coffee mug on it that said, “Don’t talk to me before I’ve had my coffee.” Yep, this pretty much sums it up.

But whether you’re a night owl or a morning person, sleep is essential to your health. When we’re sleeping the body repairs itself so we can awake feeling refreshed and renewed. But when our sleep suffers night after night it can make us more susceptible to diabetes, obesity and depression. Insomnia – bad.

Great news though! Below are some quick and easy strategies you can use to help you get a good night’s sleep.

2. Avoid caffeine late in the day.

3. Avoid drinking alcohol late in the day.

Alcohol consumption can interfere with melatonin production and disrupt your sleep.

4. Create a comfortable sleeping environment.

Eliminate light and noise to make your bedroom free of distractions. Select a comfortable mattress and soft and comfy bedding.

5. Avoid eating a large meal late in the evening.

Some people find that eating a small amount of carbs a few hours before bed helps them fall asleep faster. However, it’s interesting to note that one study showed following a low-carb diet can improve sleep too.

6. Exercise, but not before bed.

Regular exercise during daylight hours is excellent for promoting sleep. Just avoid working out late in the day to avoid having trouble falling asleep later.

Daily exposure to natural sunlight has a multitude of health benefits. But if this isn’t possible, you can buy artificial bright light bulbs and special bright light devices.

8. Reduce long naps in the daytime.

While 30-minute or less naps can boost your brain function, long naps can make sleeping at night more difficult. So, if this is a problem for you, try cutting back on the long naps and see it it helps.

9. Cut back on blue light exposure in the evening.

Unnatural blue light can upset your circadian rhythm. Blue light-blocking glasses, apps for your computer and smartphones and turning the TV off a couple of hours before bed can help.

10. Take a melatonin supplement.

Melatonin is a sleep hormone that has no withdrawal effects. Taking 1-3 mg about 30 minutes before you go to bed can help you fall asleep and improve sleep quality. Check with your doctor first to make sure it’s a good option for you.

11. Relax before heading to bed.

You can try many techniques to clear your mind including taking a hot bath, listening to music, journalling, reading a book or doing deep breathing exercises.

12. Reserve the bedroom for bedroom activities only.

Sleep and intimacy…you know the ones. Keep the work and bills out of the bedroom for less stress and more relaxation.

13. Keep the temperature on the cool side.

This is a personal preference, but better sleep typically happens in a cooler room, generally between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

14. Don’t check the alarm clock (or cell phone) to see what time it is.

I used to do this when I was having trouble falling asleep….adding up the amount of sleep I was going to get if I fell asleep right then. But, this isn’t a good idea and causes more stress, making it even harder to fall asleep.

Right now my biggest issue keeping me from sleeping well is an almost two-year-old who is still not sleeping through the night! I do follow many of these suggestions though. I use lotion with lavender essential oil for both myself and my littles.

These are some great tips! I’m terrible at putting away my electronics before bed and my quality of sleep definitely suffers because of it. I really need to disassociate my bed from everything else but sleep!

Thanks! I hear you. It’s a common struggle for many people, myself included. I love reading books on the Kindle app before I go to sleep and I don’t know what I’d do without the blue-light filter app. It really helps.

Great tips! I love when the room is cold and I can snuggle in my heavy comforter! I use essential oils in a diffuser at night to help me. I also soak in the tub sometimes before bed with relaxing oils and epsom salt. I actually can’t use Lavender by itself but I have others that help.